AI and Society

Please join us on May 20th for an amazing co-hosted practical meetup with the Data Science Society! ## What can you expect? ​This hands-on workshop explores how modern AI tools are changing everyday software engineering. Participants will see practical, real-world examples of how developers use tools like Kiro, Claude Code, Windsurf, and Cursor to write, debug, refactor, and understand code more efficiently. ​The session focuses on concrete use cases - speeding up feature development, improving code quality, navigating large codebases, and integrating AI into existing development cycles. It will give attendees a clear view of what “AI-augmented development” looks like in practice. ## ​Who will present? ​We have 4 speakers : * ​Rosen Krumov * ​Borislava Bagaliyska * ​Petar Ivanov * ​Viktor Botev ​Soon we will announce a bit more about the concrete expertize and focus of each of them! # ​Official partner ​For this meet-up our official partner is [iris.ai](https://iris.ai/?utm_source=luma). ​[Iris.ai](https://iris.ai/?utm_source=luma) is the AI Development and Operation Platform for building secure, high-performance Agentic RAG systems. ​Event is free but registration is mandatory: https://luma.com/bz9lg7aq

4 години споделяме знание! Създаваме сигурност. Празнуваме заедно! Настъпи момент да отпразнуваме заедно **4-тата** **ГОДИШНИНА на Cyber Security Talks Bulgaria**. Този път без домакин и по много по-различен начин. Заповядайте на нашето парти в Art Bar 158 на **20.05**. Вече 4 години създаваме общност, споделяме опит, мнение и научени уроци, защото така вярваме, че ще постигнем по-сигурно Киберпространство за всички нас. Стъпвайки отново фраза от добре познатия ни сериал „Бар Наздраве“ : „Where everybody knows your name“, бихме казали, че Cyber Security Talks Bulgaria се утвърди като място, където всеки е добре дошъл. На 20 май това място е „Art Bar 158” (ул. „Княз Борис I“ 158). Подготвили сме една по-различна от обичайното програма, но ще я разкриваме постепенно. Както казваше един знаменит българин „Часът и мястото на срещата са известни“ – Часът е обичайният, дата - нестандартна, мястото – различни от всяко до момента. **Всеки гост на нашето парти ще получи подарък. Първото питие е от нас.** Ела на едно по-различно събитие с quiz, жива музика и приятни моменти. Бъди част от общността! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Програма на събитието: • 18:30 - 19:00 - Регистрация Вратите отварят в 18:30 часа. • 19:00 - 19:10 – Откриване • 19:10 - 19:30 – Keynote **[Pavel Georgiev](https://www.linkedin.com/preload/)** • 19:30 - 20:00 – Quiz CSTB • 20:00 - 20:40 – Музикално изпълнение от Магдалена Данева и Калоян Киров, представители на Highlight Singing Academy • 20:40 - 22:00 – Музикално изпълнение на две китари – Николай Димитров и Георги Бейков • 22:00 - 00:00 – спокойна музика за приятен Networking \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Следете страниците в социалните мрежи и канала ни в Discord, за да научавате повече: · LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyber-security-talks-bulgaria](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyber-security-talks-bulgaria) · Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588273361718](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588273361718) · Meetup: [https://www.meetup.com/Cyber-Security-Talks-Bulgaria-Meetup-Group/](https://www.meetup.com/Cyber-Security-Talks-Bulgaria-Meetup-Group/) · Discord: [https://discord.gg/MPMAgmCbWs](https://discord.gg/MPMAgmCbWs) (#cybersec-talks) · Website : [https://www.cybersecuritytalks.bg/](https://www.cybersecuritytalks.bg/)

Join us for a 2-day hybrid hackathon in Tirana where developers, students, and people interested in AI come together to learn, build, and show their AI projects. Get practical experience, support from Google Developer Experts (GDEs), and take part in a fun demo session with prizes and giveaways. * **What participants will experience:** * Masterclasses from speakers * Team collaboration and project building * Mentorship from industry experts and GDEs * Real-world project development from idea to demo * Networking with the local tech community * Fun challenges, prizes, and giveaways **Day 1 – Online (20 May from 5pm): Start Building** * Join the welcome and introduction session * Learn about AI through masterclasses * Form teams and share project ideas * Start building their AI solutions **Day 2 – Onsite (22 May at Piramida from 10am): Build, Improve, and Present** * Panel discussion with industry experts * Learn about AI, cloud technologies, and real-world use cases * Continue building your projects with mentor guidance * Prepare and present your solutions to a panel of judges 👉 Fill out this form with your project idea and/or team details: [https://forms.gle/8cui8JKNWEp82tnaA](https://forms.gle/8cui8JKNWEp82tnaA) If you don’t have a team yet, don’t worry — you can connect with others and find team members through our Discord community: [https://discord.com/invite/BgCdCmCuGv](https://discord.com/invite/BgCdCmCuGv) **Grand Finale: Demo & Celebration** * The event ends with: * Team project presentations * Feedback from judges and mentors * Prize announcements and giveaways * A closing celebration of participants’ achievements **A chance to learn, build, and grow in AI**

Please join us on May 20th for an amazing co-hosted practical meetup with the Data Science Society! ## What can you expect? ​This hands-on workshop explores how modern AI tools are changing everyday software engineering. Participants will see practical, real-world examples of how developers use tools like Kiro, Claude Code, Windsurf, and Cursor to write, debug, refactor, and understand code more efficiently. ​The session focuses on concrete use cases - speeding up feature development, improving code quality, navigating large codebases, and integrating AI into existing development cycles. It will give attendees a clear view of what “AI-augmented development” looks like in practice. ## ​Who will present? ​We have 4 speakers : * ​Rosen Krumov * ​Borislava Bagaliyska * ​Petar Ivanov * ​Viktor Botev ​Soon we will announce a bit more about the concrete expertize and focus of each of them! # ​Official partner ​For this meet-up our official partner is [iris.ai](https://iris.ai/?utm_source=luma). ​[Iris.ai](https://iris.ai/?utm_source=luma) is the AI Development and Operation Platform for building secure, high-performance Agentic RAG systems. ​Event is free but registration is mandatory: https://luma.com/bz9lg7aq

4 години споделяме знание! Създаваме сигурност. Празнуваме заедно! Настъпи момент да отпразнуваме заедно **4-тата** **ГОДИШНИНА на Cyber Security Talks Bulgaria**. Този път без домакин и по много по-различен начин. Заповядайте на нашето парти в Art Bar 158 на **20.05**. Вече 4 години създаваме общност, споделяме опит, мнение и научени уроци, защото така вярваме, че ще постигнем по-сигурно Киберпространство за всички нас. Стъпвайки отново фраза от добре познатия ни сериал „Бар Наздраве“ : „Where everybody knows your name“, бихме казали, че Cyber Security Talks Bulgaria се утвърди като място, където всеки е добре дошъл. На 20 май това място е „Art Bar 158” (ул. „Княз Борис I“ 158). Подготвили сме една по-различна от обичайното програма, но ще я разкриваме постепенно. Както казваше един знаменит българин „Часът и мястото на срещата са известни“ – Часът е обичайният, дата - нестандартна, мястото – различни от всяко до момента. **Всеки гост на нашето парти ще получи подарък. Първото питие е от нас.** Ела на едно по-различно събитие с quiz, жива музика и приятни моменти. Бъди част от общността! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Програма на събитието: • 18:30 - 19:00 - Регистрация Вратите отварят в 18:30 часа. • 19:00 - 19:10 – Откриване • 19:10 - 19:30 – Keynote **[Pavel Georgiev](https://www.linkedin.com/preload/)** • 19:30 - 20:00 – Quiz CSTB • 20:00 - 20:40 – Музикално изпълнение от Магдалена Данева и Калоян Киров, представители на Highlight Singing Academy • 20:40 - 22:00 – Музикално изпълнение на две китари – Николай Димитров и Георги Бейков • 22:00 - 00:00 – спокойна музика за приятен Networking \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Следете страниците в социалните мрежи и канала ни в Discord, за да научавате повече: · LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyber-security-talks-bulgaria](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyber-security-talks-bulgaria) · Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588273361718](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588273361718) · Meetup: [https://www.meetup.com/Cyber-Security-Talks-Bulgaria-Meetup-Group/](https://www.meetup.com/Cyber-Security-Talks-Bulgaria-Meetup-Group/) · Discord: [https://discord.gg/MPMAgmCbWs](https://discord.gg/MPMAgmCbWs) (#cybersec-talks) · Website : [https://www.cybersecuritytalks.bg/](https://www.cybersecuritytalks.bg/)

**Founders Running Club** (FRC) brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome. 🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022 🌍 Now in 35+ cities 📅 Running + Networking events + Community **Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats) **Stay updated**: Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/) Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/) LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/) Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC) Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)

Calling all working parents in Sofia! Join us for a Networking Brunch where we will focus on supporting each other in navigating the challenges of balancing work and family life. This event is open to working moms and dads, whether you are an expat, a stay-at-home mom transitioning back to work, or an entrepreneur juggling multiple roles. Let's share our experiences, exchange tips, and build a supportive community to help each other thrive in our professional and personal lives. Come connect with like-minded individuals, gain valuable insights, and leave feeling empowered and inspired to tackle whatever comes your way. **Don't miss this opportunity to network, learn, and grow together with Sofia Building Business Moms & Dads!**

Join us for a 2-day hybrid hackathon in Tirana where developers, students, and people interested in AI come together to learn, build, and show their AI projects. Get practical experience, support from Google Developer Experts (GDEs), and take part in a fun demo session with prizes and giveaways. * **What participants will experience:** * Masterclasses from speakers * Team collaboration and project building * Mentorship from industry experts and GDEs * Real-world project development from idea to demo * Networking with the local tech community * Fun challenges, prizes, and giveaways **Day 1 – Online (20 May from 5pm): Start Building** * Join the welcome and introduction session * Learn about AI through masterclasses * Form teams and share project ideas * Start building their AI solutions **Day 2 – Onsite (22 May at Piramida from 10am): Build, Improve, and Present** * Panel discussion with industry experts * Learn about AI, cloud technologies, and real-world use cases * Continue building your projects with mentor guidance * Prepare and present your solutions to a panel of judges 👉 Fill out this form with your project idea and/or team details: [https://forms.gle/8cui8JKNWEp82tnaA](https://forms.gle/8cui8JKNWEp82tnaA) If you don’t have a team yet, don’t worry — you can connect with others and find team members through our Discord community: [https://discord.com/invite/BgCdCmCuGv](https://discord.com/invite/BgCdCmCuGv) **Grand Finale: Demo & Celebration** * The event ends with: * Team project presentations * Feedback from judges and mentors * Prize announcements and giveaways * A closing celebration of participants’ achievements **A chance to learn, build, and grow in AI**

…Transform Our Lives, Work, and World (2024) by Jamie Metzl, 432 pages [Genetics] • Paperback • Hardcover • Kindle • Audiobook • Library: [https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082](https://fcplcat.fairfaxcounty.gov/search/title.aspx?ctx=1.1033.0.0.1&pos=1&cn=615082) Check the How To Find Us section for Zoom Link **(Remember, the Zoom Link is different each month, do not bookmark)** ### Review “In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes readers on a magical journey through the science of the intersecting genetics, biotech, and AI revolutions, deeply explores the implications, and challenges us to think creatively and proactively about what comes next. Very few books are absolute must-reads. This is one.”―Siddhartha Mukherjee, assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and author of The Gene: An Intimate History "During the 25 years I have known Jamie Metzl, he has always been ahead of the curve. There is no one better to help us understand and prepare for the fast-approaching technological revolutions. Superconvergence is brilliant. I can't recommend it more strongly."―Sanjay Gupta MD, bestseller author, neurosurgeon, and Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent (CNN) "Our world is defined by our science and technology—whether we like it or not. The question now is not whether to use these powers, but how best to use them. In Superconvergence, Jamie Metzl takes us on a journey through the new capabilities that are radically transforming ecosystems inside us and around us, challenging each of us to get personally involved with building the future we want."―Beth Shapiro, University of California Santa Cruz evolutionary biologist and author of Life as We Made It: How 50,000 Years of Human Innovation Refined―and Redefined―Nature "In a fine counter-blast to the pessimism of today, Jamie Metzl lays out just how spectacular the future of humanity and planet can be if we harness innovation responsibly and imaginatively to create what he calls the 'spiral of progress.'"―Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works, and co-author of Viral: The search for the Origin of Covid-19 “A page-turning journey through space and time that shows us how our lives will be changed by imminent technological advances we once only dreamed of.”―David Sinclair, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, and author of Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don't Have To “The superconvergence of the genetics, biotechnology, and AI revolutions provides spectacular opportunities for building a better world. It also represents an almost limitless investment opportunity. We were excited to collaborate with Jamie Metzl, one of the world's great experts on how these aspirations can best be realized, including in capital markets. Superconvergence is a master class for imagining, investing in, and building a future we'd like to inhabit."―Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer, WisdomTree “A clear examination of a transitional moment in the story of life on Earth…. Metzl capably describes recent developments in genetics and biotech and looks at how AI is providing an analytical engine of unprecedented power…. An important book in which the author sets out a path for the future based on his experience and expertise.”―Kirkus “Erudite, optimistic, and timely.”―Science Magazine "[In Superconvergence] Mr. Metzl has identified an important truth: that the convergence of new technologies is galvanizing us to reimagine how to meet urgent challenges in medicine and the environment. It’s a compelling opportunity—provided we manage to sidestep self-induced catastrophes along the way."―The Wall Street Journal ### About the Author Jamie Metzl is a leading technology and healthcare futurist and the founder and chair of OneShared.World. He is the author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity and four other books and was a member of the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. Jamie previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee and with the United Nations in Cambodia. His work has been featured by most major media organizations around the world, including 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Fox, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, the Times of London, Le Monde, and Paris Match, and his podcast interviews with Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, and others have reached tens of millions of listeners. He lives in New York City. Visit Jamiemetzl.com.

Our first Technoverts meetup had a great turnout, so we're doing it again, this time with an optional conversation theme: **How people are actually using AI in everyday work and life**. This is not a panel or presentation, and I do not have a fixed agenda, it's just a relaxed coffee conversation for people in tech (or tech-adjacent fields) who are curious about practical AI use cases, useful tools, workflow hacks, weird experiments, and what's generally helping people right now. *Topics might include:* * AI tools people actually use at work * Productivity and automation * Prompting successes and failures * Writing, coding, research, analytics and creative use cases * What feels overhyped vs. genuinely useful. No expertise is required. It's completely fine to come mostly curious, skeptical, or just interested in meeting thoughtful people in tech. *What to expect:* * Low pressure conversation * A mix of tech talk and normal conversation Location: (Subject to change as I do more research) High Point Pub Tyson's Whole Foods, 1635 Boro Pl. (This is the cafe space on the second floor of the Whole Foods at the Boro, Tysons. Parking is free in the garage with validation). Time: 11 am (this is when the cafe opens). Everyone covers their own coffee/snacks. I'll arrive early and grab a table and will post details about location in the event discussion. Address: 1635 Boro Pl. Whole Foods 2nd Floor Cafe

Join us at **Hashtag** in Herndon on Thursday, **May 21st** at **6pm**. Adventure and roll dice with this week's **Pathfinder 2 GM: Louis**. **The story:** The Pathfinder Society recently discovered that a rune-encrusted dagger in its vaults is somehow connected to an ancient weapon buried in the remote deserts of Thuvia. The weapon's precise location is unknown, so the Society dispatches a team of agents to explore the desert, using the dagger to guide the way. Unfortunately, the dagger is one of a matched pair, and the Society's enemies have its twin! Can the agents reach the weapon before their enemies do? What other surprises lay in wait? This adventure is the first part of the two-part Calamitous Dagger metaplot arc in the Year of Boundless Wonder. **Scenario tags**: Metaplot (Boundless Wonder), Faction (Grand Archive, Vigilant Seal) \*\*\* If you have any questions, feel free to comment or send a message.

Join our new group’s third meeting. Meet fellow tech enthusiasts west of the beltway. ​Because our group is new, we have a poll for the direction we want to take this new group. ​[https://submatrix.net/article/Meetups/e9ym4fr8Ca](https://submatrix.net/article/Meetups/e9ym4fr8Ca) ​For this event, we will be running a working meetup. ​Our meetings are a great place to work on and show off what you do. We are always welcoming. ​Our format is great for people who have started on but not finished one or several side projects. ​We will start off with basic introductions and what we are working on and what our goals are. We’ll break the rest of the meeting into two working sessions. In between, we’ll do a quick check-in to see how folks are going. If the RSVP is full, come anyway. We'll likely have space.

A Starfinder Society Scenario designed for 3rd- through 4th-level characters, playable in 2-3 hours. Kor-Montak is an ancient ritual site where shobhads of old communed with the spirits of the planet Akiton itself. A place of power and pilgrimage, Kor-Montak was abandoned sometime during the Gap and is believed to be cursed. In the ensuing centuries, numerous mystics, leaders, and warriors attempted the pilgrimage up the glacier passes to Kor-Montak, but none returned and Kor-Montak remains a place of myth and memory, lost to time but never forgotten. Impressed by the Starfinder Society’s dedication and ingenuity on a recent joint rescue mission, shobhad geomancer Aruk has invited the Starfinders to explore Kor-Montak and determine the cause of its long-standing curse. Aruk is hopeful the Starfinders can break the curse and return Kor-Montak to its people, as the Starfinder Society is known the galaxy over for their expertise in excavating ancient ruins and handling strange magic. Will you survive the ruins of the world soul? This is an adventure in the ongoing Invasion's Edge metaplot. Written by David N. Ross.

**ProductTank NoVA is back!** After a brief hiatus, we are relaunching the chapter with a format that cuts out the fluff and gets straight to the reality of building. Every product feed is flooded with AI hype right now, but what does it actually look like on the ground? Instead of a polished keynote, we are hosting **0 to 1 with AI: Real Product Talks**—a "Show & Tell" featuring 3–4 lightning talks focused on the intersection of AI and product. The framing for the talks is simple: *"Here is what I'm building, and here is what I'm stuck on."* We want to look at the messy, 0-to-1 reality of integrating AI into your workflows and products. *(Want to share what you are working on? Reach out! The bar is low-pressure, just 10–12 minutes to talk about a real AI problem you are trying to solve.)* **Agenda:** * **5:30 PM - 6:00 PM:** Doors open, networking, & name tags * **6:00 PM - 6:10 PM:** Welcome + Chapter Relaunch Intro * **6:10 PM - 7:30 PM:** Lightning Talks (Three 12-min talks + 5 mins Q&A each, with a 5-min stretch break) * **7:30 PM - 8:00 PM:** Open networking * **8:00 PM:** Soft close **Location & Logistics:** Herndon Fortnightly Library (Extended Hours Meeting Room) 768 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170 * **Parking:** We'll meet at the library, located just behind the Herndon Municipal Center. There is plenty of free public parking available around the municipal center. * **Metro & Bus:** Take the Silver Line to Herndon Metro Station, then connect via Fairfax Connector Route 921 or 950 to Historic Downtown Herndon. * **Driving (via VA-267/Dulles Toll Rd):** Take Exit 10 North (Centreville Rd, which becomes Elden St). Turn left onto Station St or Lynn St. * **Driving (via VA-286/Fairfax Co Pkwy):** Take the Elden St West exit. Turn right onto Lynn St. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and getting back to building!

Join us at **Hashtag** in Herndon on Thursday, **May 21st** at **6pm**. Adventure and roll dice with this week's **Starfinder** **GM: Maria**. **The story:** Having secured a secret entrance to the Wreck of the Returned, the Starfinder Society is finally ready to launch a rescue mission into the Wreck, to liberate the lost Starfinder Zizenzi and the countless other citizens of Akiton who’ve been abducted by the Functionary’s forces and await forced conversion into mindless servitors of the Wreck. While numerous teams prepare to enter the conversion facility, First Seeker Sarmak has tasked one special team with breaching the conversion facility’s central control room and dispatching the cure to conversion through the ventilation system. If successful, all the converted innocents within the Wreck will regain their autonomy and break free from the Wreck’s control. Unfortunately, the central control is sure to be heavily guarded… Prepare for battle, Starfinders! **Notes**: Replayable (with a different character) *This is an adventure in the ongoing Invasion's Edge metaplot.* \*\*\*\* **The Characters:** You can use a [level 3 pregen](https://paizo.com/starfinder) *or* bring your own if you have a society character in the 3-4 range. We'll have have paper copies of the pregens if anyone needs one. -Some character building options are [Starbuilder 2e](https://pathbuilder2e.com/app.html?v=102b) (made by the maker of Pathbuilder!), [Hephaistos](https://sf2e.hephaistos.online/), [Demiplane](https://app.demiplane.com/characters), using the new Starfinder Player Core and pen/[paper](https://downloads.paizo.com/RemasterPlayerCoreCharacterSheet.pdf#), etc. You can use options from the [Invasion's Edge Player's Guide](https://downloads.paizo.com/OP-Files/SFS+Invasions+Edge+Players+Guide.pdf) too. \*\*\* **THE GAME:** [Starfinder](https://paizo.com/starfindersociety) 2e is a role-playing game similar to Pathfinder 2e (or Dungeons & Dragons) but in space with magic *and* technology. In this one-shot, you can jump in as a new player or join if you're more experienced. \*\*\* If you have any questions, feel free to comment or send a message.